Well, what a weekend that was. Sorry for the delay on this report, but man alive, what a weekend, what an atmosphere, what a show! It'll take me a full year to recover, and I'll tell you this, Scotland, I'll be back sooner than 4 years time!
So, with the backdrop with all eyes on Scotland, with referenda, Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cups all eyes are Scotland. And the F2 world was no exception, as the world and his wife, descended into the Kingdom of Fife, at to the mecca of Scottish stock car racing - the Racewall
I arrived, with the calendar entourage at around 11:30am on Friday morning to be greeted by the old stadium looking spin and span, with some finishing touches being added. The Grandstand looked imperious and the temporary grandstand gave you an awesome view.
Someone described it as Scotland's Colosseum - they wouldn't be too wrong
MEETING ITSELF
With it being 12 years in the making and having the Saloon World as a "test" event last year, Cowdenbeath put on a magnificent show. Prior to the meeting itself, using online ticket sales, and utilising social and print media to its fullest, GMP were determined to make the show look good. With a grandstand funded by the local council and tourism board (a truly great resource used to its fullest potential) it certainly proves that the resources are there to be used, and if your willing to submit the necessary time and effort, additional rewards can be gained.
Now, last year I did mention the on track meet the drivers show which I last witnessed back in 1989 would be a nice touch. And that it was. Giving the fans unbridled access to their cars and the drivers, and giving the kiddies a nice poster of all the world finalists, for them to sign. It made every driver from Moodie, Speak and Bradbury et al feel like a superstar, even the shale drivers getting their first taste of a world final. And of course there was Abi and Sammy, complete in racer girl outfits getting autographed on their bodies with sharpies wasn't the best idea!
With the pre race build up at fever pitch, the big race was race 9, one of the latest I have seen in the programme for a long long while (I'd have it even later if I was in charge - see points of order), people were clamouring and chomping at the bit to get it on. The drivers had been told to get ready in grid order - with Helen Kaleta and Crispen Rosevear sorting the cars into order so that they came on track at the right time. Then the lights went out. Intentionally. As a single spotlight, was shown on the pit gate and the competitors came out, through dry ice. Pure theatre, with everyone applauded. Then Speak, then Moodie. Pure pantomime. With everyone on track and assembled, it was go time. Richard Kaleta, the "host" of the show, mentioned those immortal words, and the floodlights came on. Dramatic stuff, and the cars set off on 2 rolling laps, led by VW Golfs!
As they got away for the first time, it was Chris Bradbury who led to the flag, however the reds came out almost instantaneously as Jan Bekkers (B96) Daz Shaw (377), Kyle Taylor (136) and Martin Ford (19) found themselves a part of autoscuplture on the pit bend. With about 8 cars failing to make the restart, the main beneficiary was Gordon Moodie (7) who jumped up the grid only a row, but nearer to the pack.
Come the restart, Josh Coleman (615) led them away this time, persued by Goldin, Bradbury and Speak. Moodie rapidly shot up behind the Speak car. Speak had already gone sideways into the wall at the restart, but Moodie was swiftly on his back bumper, and dispensed with him into the town bend. However Moodie rode in with Speak, and Speak using tactics straight out of the "Wacky Racers" stomped on the brakes, stopping the 7 car in its progress.
The race then settled down. Bradbury, Goldin and Macmillan and Dawson leading the pack. Goldin went into the lead and started to pull a gap on the cars in front. Meanwhile further back, Moodie was cutting through the traffic and setting about getting back on terms. Macmillan then past Bradbury for 2nd as behind, charging westcountrymen Steve Gilbert (542) and Nathan Maidment (935) were carving through the field holding their own. As halfway flag came out, Goldin led from Macmillan by about a 1/4 of a lap. Goldin was finding it hard to dispense with the traffic, and the 100 car inched towards the 401 machine. Then, bang! Cornishman Gilbert's expired on the pit bend and that was game over for him. The following lap though, Goldin went in, slid in and found himself in a large accident which took most of the remaining field out. Goldin was out of the race, and also out for the count, as some concern surrounded the former World Champion. Goldin can consider himself to be very unlucky, a second title was there for the taking, but that, as they say, is stock car racing, and it why we love the sport.
So for the second year in a row, George Macmillan, restarted the race in the lead. Behind him, some confusion as first Robbie Dawson (854) had overtook Bradbury, only to demoted not only to 3rd but to 4th. Then the backmarkers came in to give some breathing space, as Moodie now was in 3rd, and looking very, very dangerous. As the pace car pulled off, the grid slowed to a crawl, leaving Macmillan, backmarker Dougie Kinrade (IOM164) and Bradbury. The Scot got a perfect restart, and pulled a good 3 cars clear. Meanwhile, as the boards came out Moodie had swooped on the 886 car and moved him wide. With 3 laps to go, the unthinkable couldn't happen this year surely. Greeting the one lap board this time, George had a clear track ahead, and a clear track behind, Moodie a good 3 car lengths away. The Racewall Roar greeted the chequered flag and I don't think there has been a more popular winner in recent times, as the S100 car crossed the line.
Video courtesy of David Allan
POST RACE
In the immediate joy all round, cheers all round. A Scottish one-two and champ we could all cheer. As the S100 car pulled into victory lane, his entourage and wellwishers spilled onto the track to celebrate the champ, as everyone congratulated the new champ, total disbelief was the order of the day as Geomac climbed on top of his car to wave to his fans, complete with orange Mac100 t shirt on. All the great and good, As he had many laps on honour on the Burgoyne break down wagon, the guard of honour for the new champ in the pits and applause and adulation was cranked up another notch. The sheer disbelief was mixed with pure joy, all around, from Scully, to sisters Lyn and Liz and the celebrations carried on well into the night.
YOU MEAN THERE WERE OTHER RACES?
Friday night saw Sam Wagner (823) take the consolation semi, which saw many of the fancied runners fall by the wayside, including Burgoyne. Marc Fortune (64) took the heat, with Craig Wallace (16) taking the Consolation, and then Liam Rennie (3) taking the final. On Saturday night, Wallace and Chris Burgoyne (647) took the heats, the consolation went the way of Stephen Forster (652). Bobby Griffin (866) taking the Alan Benson Trophy, in only the 2nd of 2 English winners over the weekend. The Sunday session saw Wallace and Rennie take the heats, a rare win for Garry Sime (480) in the consi, before Rennie took the final and Gordon, the GN. It was Cowdie after all!
POINTS OF McORDER
The only criticisms I've got are minor points. The starts are horrendous up here. They might as well be a closed grid. Whilst the pace car keeps the pace, everyone does not keep the gaps. There were some races where reds were in the middle of the blues - and not just your run of the mill red, superstars!!! Lets see a few pringles please Cowdie!
Both evening meetings fell foul of the curfew. With championship races they can take a small age to run, so perhaps, if next year's meeting is under curfew, (and if it is to be Hednesford then they have a curfew on the Sunday aswell!), have a few appetisers, and leave us with the main course. No dessert required, cos lets face it, after the world everything is an anticlimax.
If I didn't have calendars to sell, I doubt I would have gone on Sunday. It just felt a little flat, and perhaps another championship, maybe for the saloons, would have been better to keep the interest there. The World Revenge wasn't mentioned once, and it didn't seem to have the same prize fund as the previous year, which is a shame really, which, despite the awful weather that befell last year, worked!
I'm also not a fan of the Heritage. These big old jalopies should not be on big meetings. Plus I'd like to see the next generation- the custom builts, the 1300 era. These original heritage cars should be preserved and not raced!
Scottish Food.... I love it. I think it's the first time I've had the options of noodles from a Burger van since an ill advised festival choice back in the day, but after 2 scotch pies - yum, a Scottish breakfast - tatty scones and lorne sausage, all washed down with Irn-Bru and Red Cola.... the stuff that is smuggled to Skegness every year for that well known Scottish asylum seeker, Paul Brown! Sadly, I didn't have the stomach for the stomach of a haggis, and didn't go to a chippy - which I should have done - the chips up here are something else!
It would be remiss of me to not to put through a few thank yous with regard to the stall. Firstly, to the Racewall staff for assisting us with the set up.From the owners, the Brewsters, and Dave Borthwick, to the guy that changes and empties the bins, we were made to feel most welcome. A fantastic effort. Yes, it took a while to set up on the Friday night, but we got a stall up and running, run by myself, Dave Trickey, calendar girls Abi Coombes and Madame Starter Sammy Brenton(who was on flag duties as well at Cowdie), James Brenton, saloon driver and chip abuser Ben Goddard, Racewall Racing Doll, Ashleigh Reid and her fella Niall, and her girls Shawnni and Jodie, and also to Jacklyn Ellis and Liam Bentham - that boy can sell sell sell! Neil Hooper and Dave Polley for borrowing tables and Team MiniMossy for transporting the gazebo. And to those who bought the calendar or gave donations - THANK YOU! Initial counts put the figure around £2000 which truly is fantastic!
So Macmillan was a winner all round!
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